Testimonials

Letters from very special people who have shared a weekend or more at Ronnie Ford Training Center, training their horses and their souls !

August 2010

There are as many different opinions about horses as there are horses as there are horse people. Everyone has an opinion or excuse about everything. But very few have the answers. In the 67 years that I have walked this earth, I have met a good many of these people.

There are many clinicians that can put on a good show. They are entertaining and they have the ability to demonstrate many tasks. But they do not tell you how to do it. To teach others takes not only knowledge but understanding and patience.

Through my learning process the main quality that evolved in me was the ability to recognize a good trainer when I see one. A person who possesses the knowledge, teaching ability, patience and people skills to communicate what he knows to others is rare. Ronnie Ford is most definitely one of these few and far between people.

We have taken several of our horses to Ronnie. One of the horses is young and needed to become more aware of what was being asked of her. The other horse needed to be retrained and learn respect. We have three more horses for Ronnie to work his magic on.

I really like the fact that Ronnie earns the respect of the animals. He offers them options, instead of forcing the animal. The behavior of our animals is most often a reflection of our contact with them. Ronnie not only teaches them but he teaches us.

You can tell from the get go, that Ronnie is not trying to sell you something. But he is interested in your horse and he is interested in you. By teaching the human he is helping the horse. He uses a gentle hand. But he is quick to say be as firm as you need to be.

Gloria Moye

CHA Certified English, Western Riders with Disabilities

Director of Fox Lake Farms, Inc.

October 10, 2009

Hello Ronnie Ford! I was just checking out your website and had to tell you that I love the new updates! How is it going with your new Mustangs? Your obstacle course has surely grown since I was there, love it! I hope with all the Mustang Makeovers you will finally get the recognition you truly deserve, I still believe you’re Florida’s best kept secret, and that’s a real shame….

I also wanted to tell you that I had the opportunity to pick up a little App horse real cheap a few months back. We had originally gone to this fellas place to look at a paint, but she had a real issue with her hind end. I asked this man to show me the little App and he preceded to bring him out on the cross ties and get him ready to ride. When he went to bridle the horse he was so forceful that the horse got real worried and reared and fell down. He finally crammed the bit in and got him out the yard where he climbed aboard. He went to kicking on that poor little horse and the App responded with some pretty violent bucks until he was able to get this wretched man off his back. It was pretty horrifying to watch, especially with my young client and her Mother with us. Anyway, Eric made an offer on him just to get him out of that situation and we picked the horse up at 11P that night.

I let the App(Ziggy) hang out for about a week before I went to work with him. I applied several of the methods I had learned while working with you. I am now able to saddle that horse without tying him up, he takes the bit if I just hold it up to him, he walks over and through anything I ask and I have even used him for a few riding lessons. One of my clients ended up buying “Ziggy” for her kids and I will be spending additional time with him in the Spring. I just wanted to say a big Thank You to you, Ronnie, for all that I learned, all that I experienced and for the opportunity of a lifetime. You will never know what the time I spent at your place meant to me or how very much I miss it. I hope you are well and I hope to visit when I head down to St Pete this winter, if you don’t mind of course.

-Heather

August 11, 2006

After competing at the highest level of eventing, and being named to the Canadian Equestrian Team’s eventing team for 4 years I didn’t think much could surprise me about horses or horse trainers. So when I bought an unbroken Dutch Warmblood gelding and started having problems with him, I was at a loss. I had always worked with off the track thoroughbreds, and had never started a horse right from scratch, and I was quickly learning that starting a colt is very different from re-training an Off The Track Thoroughbred.

I was at a point where I could get on my gelding and have someone leading him around, but he was spooky and when I went to dismount, he would repeatedly spook and bolt. It was quickly spiraling into a very dangerous situation. Luckily a reference from a friend led me to Ronnie Ford. While I always try to keep an open mind, I am always a little bit skeptical of horse trainers and the methods which some utilize to get a horse “trained.” Ronnie, however, put my mind at ease immediately. His approach to horses and their training is to give them the idea and allow them to decide to do the right thing. “Be specific and make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing hard” as Ronnie puts it. His methods are gentle, safe, and extremely effective. In only a few days I watched Ronnie build my horse’s confidence, and he was able to mount and dismount him without any problems from my gelding (and WITHOUT anyone holding him!).

The quiet, confident look in my horse’s eye, and his relaxed, lowered neck made me know that this will never be an issue again. Within a week of arriving at Ronnie’s I am not only able to mount and dismount my gelding safely, but we are now able to walk, trot, canter, rein-back, and steer successfully and quietly. My horse and I have learned so much from Ronnie in only a week and I am looking forward to continue learning from him in the future. I would encourage anyone who has the opportunity to train with Ronnie to come and spend some time at his farm and watch him make a difference in your horse and your methods of training.

-Katie Evans

2005 CET short listed rider

2002-2005 CET long listed rider & talent squad
2003 Individual bronze medalist NAYRC

June 21, 2006

Hello Ronnie:

I can not tell you what a wonderful time I had at your training center. I just told you didn't I? I truly enjoyed myself. You are an amazing and talented man and I very much admire your work with horses... and with people... to stand in your shadow has been a privilege. I truly learned so much from simply watching you. Your "stories" which are not stories at all but... are real life situations that are completely engrossing. I am very serious when I say that you need to write a book and I would like to be a part of it.

I am on a mission to explore avenues to help in you getting the position you deserve in the horse world. Your knowledge and ability to show others HOW to utilize that knowledge is a very blessed gift. There is a way for you to benefit as well as grow from your own inner wealth and I would be honored to help you find a way to do that. You present yourself in your context to the rest of the world .... and just as you have done for me,,, lightly and with the humor and the stories which capture the imagination and allow the listener to comprehend the thought processes if the horse and the rider.

Again.... and I know I am not bordering on a broken record status... I enjoyed my stay with you, ALL of the stay... I like the idea of maybe someone else being the boss (mentor) for a change. Thank you.

Jan